Writing machine for accountancy work



April 23, 1935. A. F. scHAuss WRITING MACHINE IOR ACCOUNTANCY WORK Filed Oct. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet? In yen/0r: W5? gm m wm iiili- April 23, 1935.. A. F. scHAuss WRITING MACHINE FOI I ACCOUNTANCY WORK Filed Oct. 24, 1930 Patented Apr. 23, 1935 1,998,846 WRITING momma Foa ACCOUNTANCY WORK Adolf Fritz Schauss, Oberursel, near Frankforton-the-Main, Germany Application October 24, 1930, Serial No. 491,024 In Germany November 2, 1929 4 Claims.

The so-called accountancy writing machines can for the most part, be divided into two groups. .In the one group the ordinary writing machine is fitted with auxiliary devices which enable it to be used for accountancy work. For this purpose the ordinary platen carriage is equipped for example, with special paper guides, swing scales with pressing shafts and the like. These various paper holders must be present in such machines in order to hold the underlying papers or accountancy sheets against the platen in a definite position, and enable the top sheet to be inserted and adjusted without displacing the lower sheets.

This group of accountancy machines is attended with the defect that superimposed accountancy sheets cannot be adjusted until they have been inserted in the machine, which is inconvenient and wastes time.

Another group of accountancy machines employs a fiat writing machine in which the accountancy sheets are laid on a plate underneath the actual writing machine. During the operation of writing, this plate remains stationary, while the actual writing machine moves onward in accordance with the column line. In this case, 'the keyboard also travels so that the hands of the typist have to follow the onward movement of the writing machine. This constitutes a substantial defect in these machines.

The invention is designed to obviate this defect in the known accountancy machines. According to the invention, a writing plate carriage is so arranged as to be capable-of insertion in place of the platen-roller carriage in an ordinary writing machine. At the sametime, the Writing plate may be temporarily swung rearwards out of the machine, for example for the purpose of inserting or removing the accountancy sheets. The carriage can be simply arranged to be displaceable or adjustable, in such a way that an accountancy plate carriage can come into operation in place of the platen-roller carriage of the writing machine While, the mechanism operating the type levers remains unaltered.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention as applied to a known Merz writing riage.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the accountancy plate carriage, inserted in place of the roller carriage.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of Figure 2, the writing plate being partly cut away. 7

Figures 4 and '5 are separate views of the rack mounted on the shaft of the feed. roller, and of the ratchet wheel with pawl and perforated card, mounted on the same shaft. In Figure 5 the plate p under the card is omitted for the sake of clearness.

Figure 6 shows modified form of the accountancy plate, with a rubber platen roller and rockable, reel for carbon paper.

Writing machines with interchangeable platenroller carriages are known.

Figure 1 shows the mounting of the ordinary platen-roller carriage in a Merz writing machine. The platen-roller it rests in cheek plates b, which are connected together at their lower end by the carriage-guide shaft 0. This roller frame is mounted on the rear wall e of the-carriage, by means of rocking levers d, and bears by means of the shaft 0 on the guide roller f of the shifting frame f. The rear wall of the carriage is guided in known manner, by means of two angle rails 31 y in corresponding angle rails g 11 on the rear wall of the writing machine, with interposed rollers or balls 3/. In order to prevent the carriage-guide shaft 0 from moving away from the shifting frame 1 during the shift of the platen roller, the shaft 0 is fitted with a. screwed-on bracket (not shown), which fits closely round the guide shaft without hindering its lateral displacement. If in this previous em-. bodiment, it were desired to detach the frame, composed ofthe platen roller a, check plates b and guide shaft c, from the writing machine the. bracket had to be unscrewed from the shifting frame and the screws connecting the cheek plates 1) with the rocking levers it taken out as well. In order to enable the platen-roller frame to the detached by a few manipulations, the

.bracket (not shown) fitting round the shaft c is, designed as a rocking lever. In addition, the bearing bores in the rocking levers in which the screws connecting cheek plates b are seated, are preferably designed as slots d and provided with locking pawls d in such a way that the frame carrying the platen roller can be detached from the rocking levers d by simply moving the pawls aside. Thisarrangement enables the platen-roller carriage to be taken out quickly and replaced by the plate carriage for the accountancy sheets (Figure 1a).

The plate carriage shown in Figure 2 is also (like theroller carriage of the writing machine) provided with cheek plates h, a carriage guide shaft g and is attached to the rocking levers d by means of screws 2. The distance between the guide shaft 9 and the fixing screws 2, is the same as in the case of the ordinary platen roller carriage of the Merz writing machine (Figure 2). Consequently when the accountancy carriage is inserted in the writing machine, in place of the ordinary platen-roller frame, it rocks in the same way, in relation to the rear wall of the carriage and is shifted in the same manner.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the cheek plates h' are arched and engage around the rear wall of the writing machine like a saddle.

A carrier plate p, rockably mounted on the cheek plates h, servesto support the accountancy sheets. The plate 12 is connected with a cheek plate h, on each side, by means of two levers k and Z. The lower lever is, which is also arched or of saddle pattern is mounted on the lower rear end of the cheek plate h, whereas the upper lever Z is pivoted-on a lug-h As can be seen from Figure 3 the lower levers k are mounted on a through shaft k attached to the cheek plates h by screws k, k, this shaft serving at the same time to stiffen the frame.

Between the cheek plates h is mounted a sheet metal paper guide m, which extends backwards beyond the rear wall of. the machine and terminates in a curve.

The carrier plate 12 in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is shaped after the manner of aroller at its lower end, and is disposed in such a manner that this rounded portion, which serves as platen roller, occupies the same position that would be taken up by the ordinary platen roller in the writing machine. Accurate adjustment of the plate :0 is assured by means of a stop which for instance consists of an eccentric disc n. which is secured on the cheek plate It by means of a screw n and against which one of the rocking levers k or Z bears. This arrangement enables the writing position of the plate p to be adjusted to a nicety.

Above the rounded end of the carrier plate p, and on the rear side of the latter, is disposed a paper-feed roller 0, and on the front side a pressure roller 0 The shaft 0 of the feed roller 0 is mounted in lugs 0 on the plate p, and the roller is provided with one or more rubber sleeves 0 which bear against the accountancy sheets through gaps l in the plate p. The ends of the shaft 0 of the roller 0 are provided with milled knobs 0 the presser. roller 0 is also mounted on the'plate p by means of spring-controlled rocking levers o Each end of the-shaft of the feed roller 0 is provided near the edge of the plate p with a pinion q which engages through a slot p in the carrier plate. The accountancy sheets a: are perforated at the edges with holes :2 corresponding to the teeth of the pinions q and are provided with serial numbers :r' at intervals corresponding to the line spacing. A corresponding scale 1: is provided on each side of the plate 1) in order to enable the several sheets to be accurately adjusted, independently of each other so that the line to be written comes into the correct writing position. By means of the scale, the pinions q are brought into engagement with the perforations of the inserted accountancy sheets. This arrangement also is adopted in order to retain the inserted accountancy sheets in a definite relative position, and to enable the upper accountancy sheet, which is intended for the customerto be easily removed and changed without displacing the sheets underneath. It is advisable to design the pinions q in such a manner that as shown in Figure 4, only one tooth at a time protrudes through the slot in the plate 9, and that said tooth projects at right angles to the plate. In order to enable the pinions q to be set in this manner, one end of the shaft 0 of the feed roller 0' is provided with a ratchet wheel 1 which is engaged by a pawl s mounted on the plate p. These pinions serve at the same time to retain the sheets in their relative position when the accountancy sheets are moved forward in accordance with the line spacing. The clamping of the sheets between the feed roller 0 and presser roller, would also be suiilcient for this purpose once the sheets have been adjusted in the correct relative position. Consequently the rows of perforations on the accountancy sheets could be omitted altogether, and replaced merely by disappearing prickers which can be swung back out of the way of the accountancy sheets after the latter have been placed in position, and been engaged by the feed roller 0 and presser roller 0 For placing the accountancy sheets in position, the carrier plate 10 is swung back into the rearward position indicated by broken lines in Figure 2. This swing of the plate 11 is restricted by a contact tooth Z on the rocking lever Z which bears against the cheek plate h by means of a lug or nose 1 The dimensions .are so calculated that a vertical plane applied tangentially to the curved end of the rearwardly swung plate p lies a certain distance (about 1 cm.) behind the rear wall of the writing machine or behind the parts secured thereon. At the same time the check plates h. extend so far towards the rear that the shaft k connected therewith lies to the rear of the said tangential plane; In this way, suilicient space is provided for the lower ends of the accountancy sheets to be slipped over the plate 11 behind the rear wall of the machine, while their upper ends are placed on the pinions q in the desired relative position, and are gripped between the feed roller 0 and presser roller 0 After the sheets have been gripped, the plate p is swung into the position for writing as shown in Figure 2, the lower ends of the sheets bearing against the guide plate'm as indicated by the dot-and-dash line in the drawings. At the same time the strip m which presses against the paper and is rockably and flexibly mounted in front of the forward end of the guide plate m on levers m bears against the carrier plate, or the sheets placed thereon below the writing line. In this way, the sheets are held firmly at the level of the writing line, and caused to bear against the roller portion of the carrier plate 11. When a line has been written the sheets can be advanced through the distance corresponding to the linespacing by turning the feed roller 0. The upper end of the plate p is provided with two rockable levers t, for holding the sheets over which they are laid, when the latter are in position in order to prevent the sheets from tilting forwards.

Carbon paper could be inserted between the several sheets in the usual manner, but this operation is clumsy and soils the hands. If the under sheets are to be written on one side only, they could be faced with a copying pigment on one side, that side then taking the place of carbon paper. This measure however is not always practical and especially in the case of the sheet intended for the customer which has to be frequently taken out of the filing case and returned thereto, and would thus soil the adjacent sheets.

wheel r mounted on the shaft of the feed roller Moreover the customers sheets are usually written on both sides. According to the invention, theinsertion of carbon paper in the case of the customer's sheet or all the sheets, can be obviated by using a specially guided web of carbon paper u, which is disposed on the carrier plate p on the level of the writing line, and is moved on in proportion as it becomes worn out. A similar reeled web of carbon paper can also be arranged in the same manner for each accountancy sheet that is under the customers sheet.

In Figures 2 and 3, a reel 12 mounted on a through shaft 12 is provided on both sides and at the upper end of the carrier plate p. At both sides of the lower end of the plate 1) are projecting guide jaws v, on the level of the writing line the lower edge of said jaws being inclined at an angle of 45 to the vertical. The web it of carbon paper unwinding from the one wheel is drawn rearwards through the opening in the guide jaws v then passed horizontally over the plate 10 on a level with the writing line, and finally drawn forward through the opening of the second jaws v and wound on to the second reel 1).

The one reel 12 is mounted idly on the corresponding shaft 0 or is arranged so as to tend to wind up automatically while the other reel is fitted with ratchet mechanism which unwinds a certain length of the carbon web u from the other reel, during the forward movement of the accountancy sheets and moves said length forward alongthe writing line. In the embodiment shown, the ratchet mechanism consists of a ratchet wheel 0 mounted on the shaft-v and of a spring pawl a, which engages therewith and is pivotally mounted on the end of the spring pawl lever s.

As can be seen from Figure 4, atooth of the pawl 12 latches in the gaps of the ratchet wheel '0 A spring pawl 0 bearing against the ratchet wheel (Figure 2) prevents the latter from running back. When the accountancy sheets are advanced by the feed roller 0, through the space of a line after a line has been written, the pawl lever s-the one ,end of which engages the ratchet o-swings outwards and causes the pawl 12 to move the ratchet wheel '0 of the reel forward by one tooth.

The ratchet mechanism for the reels may also be-designed differently. In some cases it will be suflicient to provide the reel '0 or its shaft 1; with a knob and move the carbon web 11. onward by hand.

The described embodiment may be modified in various points of detail, without departing from the invention. Thus instead of making the lower end of the carrierplate p of metal, shaped in accordance with the curvature of the usual platen roller, this portion may be omitted with advantage and replaced by installing on the carrier plate or rocking levers, a solid platen roller in close proximity to the flat part of the plate 1).

An embodiment of this kind is shown in Figure 6. In this case a platen roller a is placed in front of a flat plate 30 and can be swung out together with the plate 17 'as already described and as shown in Figure 2. The tilting plate m intended to hold the accountancy sheets inclose contact with the roller a for writing, again bears on the roller in front of the lower end of the guide plate m. The plate m is suspended from the plate p by means of the levers m to which it is rigidly secured. The plate m is tilted forwards when the accountancy sheets a: are being inserted. When the sheets are fixed on the plate p the plate m is closed again. If a fresh sheet is to be inserted after writing, the plate p can be moved back without the sheets turning over below and remaining on the guide platem.

In this embodiment, the web of carbon paper, with its reel is mounted on two rocking levers such as the bent levers w seated on both sides of the plate 9 These levers extend downwards as far as the front of the platen roller a and guide the carbon web w in front of the writing line on the roller. The levers w are provided with lateral lugs 10*, which apply themselves over the plate p and the accountancy sheets. The carbon web can therefore be swung by the levers about the pivot 10 without changing its position. It can be swung out with the'arms w and the web be inserted between the first and second or second and third cards,and so on. Two or more webs of carbon paper with their reels can be disposed in the same manner on similar rocking levers on both sides.

Finally it may be mentioned that a back presser roller can also be applied to the platen roller, and provided with the arrangement for holding the cards in position. The presser roller 0 is controlled by tension springs which engage the rocking levers o in such a way that in the position shown, they bear against the roller 0. As soon as the levers o are swung past the dead point, the where remains in the raised position and afiords free access.

I claim: 1. In a writing machine for accountancy wor with the known type-lever mechanism of a platenroller; machine, an accountancy carriage comprising a plate-shaped member for supporting the accountancy sheets and a platen roller arranged adjacent the lower end of said plateshaped member and movable with same, means for'supporting said accountancy carriage whereby the same may be moved rearwardly to such a position relative to the main frame of the typewriting machine that sheets of paper carried by said carriage will hang free and clear of the rearmost parts of the main frame.

2. In a writing machine for accountancy work with the known type-lever mechanism of a platen-roller machine, an accountancy carriage comprising a plate-shaped element on which the accountancy sheets can be arranged and laid and a member adapted to support said sheets in the writing position, a check plate adjacent each lateral edge of the said plate-shaped element, levers disposed at opposite sides of said carriage one above the other for supporting said carriage in an upright position, said levers being pivoted to the carriage and to the cheek plates and so disposed relative to each other that the carriage may be moved rearwardly While maintained in substantially the same upright position.

3. In a writing machine for accountancy work with the known type-lever mechanism of a platen-roller machine, an accountancy carriage comprising a plate-shaped element on which the accountancy sheets can be arranged and laid and a. member adapted to support said sheets in the writing position, a cheek plate adjacent each lateral edge of the said plate-shaped element, levers disposed at opposite sides of said carriage one above the other for supporting said carriage in an upright position, said levers being pivoted to I 4 sesame the carriage and to the cheek plates, the pivotal connections between the levers and the carriage plates whereby when said'carriage is moved rearwardly it will remain in substantially the same upright position.

4. In a. writing machine for accountancy work with the known type-lever mechanism of a. platenroller machine, an accountancy carriage having a plate on which the accountancy sheets can be arranged and laid gaps in said plate, a paper feed roller arranged behind said plate, slots in said plate, a shaft tor said feed roiler, pinions arranged on said shaft, said pinions protrudingthrough said slots in the plate and engaging corresponding rows of perforations in the accountancy sheets and a ratchet mechanism for setting said pinions.

ADOLF FRITZ SCHAUSS. 

